Through These Eyes
by imaginesakura
Summary: "Sakura-chan, you may carry their blood but I want you to remember... Sometimes, the most important family, is the one you choose for yourself..." (OR) Sakura is born the bastard of a certain clan leader. (Eventual Romance)
1. This is for the Best

AN: So… This is something that wrote itself while I've been in hospital the past seven/eight weeks. I apologize to anyone expecting updates for my other stories. But please let me know what you think of this.

I do not own Naruto.

Through These Eyes

Chapter One

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The sound of the door slamming ricocheted off of the walls and resonated throughout the small house, amplifying the intense atmosphere between the man and woman who'd come to consider it home.

The woman whose long hair cascade around her heart shaped face in a curtain of light rosette could barely acknowledge the man before her as he stood in all his regal baring, speaking words that continued to shatter her heart a piece at a time.

"I didn't mean for you to find out this way." He spoke quietly and to anyone who didn't know him, without apology.

But the woman before him did know him, better than anyone else, and she knew that his voice held sadness and regret. But she also knew that neither of those things could truly change the consequences of the decision he made for them.

He made his bed, now he must lie in it.

 _Without me._

"Why? Why did you do it?" She whispered brokenly, regarding him once more with his dark, silky hair brushed back over his shoulders which were swathed in an expensive kimono. She could hardly recognize the man she loved in the hard man that stood in her apartment.

A pained expression crossed his face almost making her regret asking the question but she had to know. She knew it might break her, but she needed to hear it, if only so it would make her stronger in the aftermath.

"I know you had a choice, you didn't need to heel to the pressure of your clan, so why? Why didn't you wait for me?"

The clan leader watched as the strong woman he loved crumbled in front of him, never looking away so he would remember exactly what he'd brought upon them. What he'd brought upon her. His heart was filled with pain and regret that he concealed using all of his training as clan leader. However, deep down he truly believed that this would be for the best.

So, putting on his most genuine expression, he spoke what she needed to hear.

"Mihana," he said in a tone that held all of his love and all of his loss.

"You're such a free spirit, always open and kind. I couldn't allow the clan to take that from you. And we both know they would have."

Mihana's eyes widened in shock then betrayal at what she was hearing. Didn't he realize she would have given up her freedom just to be with him. No matter what his clan expected she would have stood by his side because she loved him so much it hurt.

But that wasn't what hurt her the most.

He didn't believe in her.

He didn't believe she could withstand being the leader of his clan.

He believed she would break from the pressure and duty.

"No, your clan couldn't take that from me…" She said then paused to draw in a deep breath before exhaling, trying and failing to hold back tears that threatened to fall down her face. "Because you already have."

As her small frame shook and tears began to fall in earnest, her arms encircled her waist in an act of protection while she tried and failed to hold in the sobs that threatened to burst and unravel her very being.

The dark blue fabric of his kimono entered her vision as he took a step towards her and made to raise his arms to bring her into his familiar embrace but he was stopped by her words and the reality of their situation became clear to him.

"Don't." She whispered in a shattered voice that made him want to hold her once again and never let her go.

Because he did love her. By the Kami, with all of his heart he loved her.

"Please," She said, her voice still shaky in anguish at their broken relationship and fear of what would become of her if he continued. "Just leave, Hyuuga-sama."

But her words reminded him that it wasn't his place anymore.

And the truth of the matter was that he was no longer hers. He had a wife and would eventually have children. They could no longer be together.

Hiashi felt as though he was just struck with a gentle fist to the heart at the use of his title and it wasn't until then that he truly realized what he'd given up. Mihana was the only woman who saw him as he was. She was his confidant, his friend, his lover. She was his everything.

Dropping his arm and taking a step back he choked out, "Hai."

Turning, he made his way to the door and walked away.

Away from his hope, away from his future, away from the woman who'd become his home, and unknowingly, away from his family.

All the while the piercing sobs beyond the door echoed through his head, and the only comfort offered were his own hollowed words.

 _This is for the best._

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 _._

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The following weeks Mihana returned to her normal routine, working at the hospital while avoiding as many well used places as possible, including the markets. This often-meant dining out or not eating at all, but to the rosette, this was a little price to pay in order to escape the pain of seeing her former lover with his wife.

The week after their separation, she'd gone to the market later than normal in an attempt to avoid him but was unfortunate enough to come across he and his wife and had to force herself to ignore the sensation of her heart being torn out of her chest and the burning behind her eyes.

Donning the facial expression she used on ANBU missions, she'd continued to go about buying her groceries before using the body flicker jutsu to return home where she proceeded to drop her bags at the entrance and allow her sorrow to consume her until she fainted.

Three days later, Mihana found herself standing in front of the Yondaime Hokage with an air of determination and a look of resolve that put even the recently wedded Namikaze a touch on edge.

"Mihana-neesan," Minato said to his friend in acknowledgment.

They'd both grown up together at one of the many war orphanages in Konoha and were close as children. And though every time he requested to see her for a mission she asked him to drop the 'neesan', he adamantly refused.

"Hokage-sama." Mihana replied formally, causing him to sit up straighter and slightly narrow his eyes in growing concern when she didn't respond to his usual informality and instead the use of his title.

"What can I do for you Mihana?" He said straight to the point.

He hadn't seen his sister figure much since the end of the war but whenever she'd been in his office she'd seemed normal if not happier than usual. So, he could only speculate that her current demeanor was the result of a recent change.

"I heard at the ANBU captains meeting today that you were looking for someone to establish an ANBU post close to the Land of Earth border and would like to put forth my own name for consideration."

Mihana could feel his assessing stare in the silence that engulfed the room following her statement and gave her own in return.

"Why?" He questioned.

Minato couldn't think of a reason she would want to leave and they'd known each other since they were younger. Mihana had been eight when her parents died while he was six, but they had both been taken in by the orphanage around the same time. He remembers the week he arrived there, a few of the older kids had tried to bully him and Mihana had come charging in and straightened them out with her fists. From that day on, he'd followed her around like a lost puppy until she agreed to teach him. It had only taken him calling her 'Onee-san' one time and they'd become family.

"I'm pregnant." She said causing the Yondaime's eyes to widen in surprise before blurting out, "What? How? Who?"

"I really hope I don't have to explain to a recently married man how I ended up in this condition." She tried for a humorous tone but it only came out sounding sorrowful and broken causing Minato to observe her more keenly.

"Neesan…" He said concerned while she smiled and said in a similar tone, "Otouto…"

They both looked at each other fondly for a second, smiling softly in remembrance of their childhood.

"It wouldn't exactly be a safe environment to raise a child." Minato started only for her to immediately shut down his attempts at negation.

"It would be unsafe for me to raise a child anywhere with my reputation."

And it was true.

During the war both shinobi had made names for themselves. Her own may not be as well-known as the 'Yellow Flash' but it was renowned and feared enough to give her a sizable bounty and to threaten any of her children despite being clan-less.

"You're not exactly convincing me." Minato stated in a deadpanned voice.

"The fact that I'm a medic will contribute to both my cover and use at the out-post as well as my past experience in ANBU." She continued with more determination.

"And what about when you have the baby?" He asked knowing he'd already made the decision but didn't want her to go. To lose 'Konoha's dancing blade' would also be a great loss to the shinobi ranks. In both the General and ANBU factions, not many people have her experience in both.

"The town I'll stay in will probably already has a mid-wife who can help with the delivery, and I would only require two weeks' rest before my chakra will be fully functioning again." She rebutted.

"And what of the father?" The brief flash of pain across her eyes was all the fourth Hokage needed to give in to the resolved Kunoichi. All of her points were valid and this would essentially be beneficial to them. And Minato trusted her to make the right decisions for herself.

"Fine, but if we ever need you, you must return, no exceptions." He said to which she nodded gratefully while smiling.

"You also have to report monthly." He continued and seeing her still nodding said cheekily, "And I want to be the God father."

The comment got him a kunai sent towards his face which he caught by the handle on his finger and began to twirl around while smirking.

"Okay God daddy," Miyuki said with a cheeky grin. "But by the time she's born I expect her to have a God brother on the way."

She then made her way out of the room leaving the now blushing Hokage behind to think about his own future family.

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Haruno Sakura was born in a trading village near the borders of Fire and Grass named Morikawa. She came into the world a week early in late March when her namesake was in full bloom with a tuft of pink hair that confused the midwife as much as it caused relief in the mother and humoured her God father.

"She's so small." Minato said, his God daughter cradled safely in his arms as he sat beside the bed.

"Babies generally are." Mihana responded tiredly, lips quirked in a soft smile as she gazed lovingly at her daughter.

She was glad Minato had made it for the birth. When the contractions had started, she had feared she was going to have to go through it alone, but Minato had arrived using the Hiraishin, saying he had had a feeling and ran straight to the midwife after using a jutsu to make his hair look the same shade of brown as her own and his clothes look civilian and travel worn.

A small whimper caught her attention and she watched as Minato stood up to give Sakura back to her when he froze midway, eyes focused on his God daughter.

"Mihana… Her eyes…" He said slowly. His brain trying to process what he was seeing.

Crying in earnest now, the blonde quickly handed off the baby, before sitting back down and waiting patiently for his sister to explain.

And she did.

When Sakura had fallen asleep, Mihana told Minato everything. How she met Hiashi on the battle field and saved his life. How they started dating towards the end of the war and how he proposed to her before her mission, only for her to return two months later and find him wed to another.

Minato listened to every word she said and complete loathing filled him at the thought of the Hyuuga. Minato had attended his wedding as both the Hokage and a friend and even congratulated him. Now all he felt like doing was stabbing him in the face with a kunai.

"Was I selfish, Minato, for going through with this?" Mihana's sad voice broke him from his thoughts and Minato's heart broke a little at the sorrow held in it.

"I don't regret keeping her. I don't think, I would ever be able to regret having her. She's a little piece of him and me. And I love her so much. But when the clan finds out…"

Minato's heart clenched at the thought but he was the Hokage dammit and he would do what he could to make his God daughter's life as happy as possible.

"Don't worry about the Hyuuga clan, Oneesan," he said determinedly. "I'll take care of everything."

A tear slipped down her cheek when she smiled. "Thank you, Otouto."

A silence settled in the room, both lost in thoughts before Mihana broke it. "Now tell me, how is Kushina-chan these days?"

A bright smile came over his face as he spoke about his wife knowing the seals he put up would alert him to any unwanted listeners.

"I kept my promise neechan." He said seriously but with a mischievous look in his eye. "Sakura-chan will have a God brother to play with later this year."

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So I decided after (SPOILER alert)- (SPOILER alert)- (SPOILER alert) Naruto and Hinata had a kid that looked nothing like Hinata, that this scenario wasn't impossible. The Hyuuga obviously have weak genes. lol.

Anyways, what did you think? Please let me know.

After this, I'll start working on the next chapter of LWB again (which is already 1000 words.) I've also started editing Home (Sorry to all who have waited this long, and sorry again that it will take longer still).


	2. An Utterly Gutsy Shinobi

I do not own Naruto.

Through These Eyes

Chapter Two

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After Sakura's birth, Mihana resumed her work with no problems.

Most days, she would find herself in her small flower shop, Sakura strapped to her chest or asleep in the cot she'd moved into the shop, creating bouquets and caring for the flowers while picking up any gossip and news that passed through the village.

Before leaving Konoha, Minato, Shikaku Nara and herself had sketched out a fake identity for her that she would establish when she arrived.

Her cover was Hanako Harada, 23 years old and widowed after her husband died in a bandit attack on their way to visit her brother. Hanako decided she could no longer live in the village her husband called home, so she traveled to Morikawa with the money she got from selling their home. And though living near the edge of the village, opened a small flower shop, hoping as a trading village it would bring in more customers.

Mihana had been extremely thankful to Minato when he returned to her home unannounced with a seal in hand to hide Sakura's eyes not even a week after he left. It was one thing to draw attention by giving birth to a baby with pink hair, and another thing entirely for that baby to have the eyes Sakura had, which practically screamed Kekkei genkai and ninja.

The seal Minato had given her when attached to the body would lay a light genjutsu over the person which would only stop if the seal was removed or ran out of chakra. The amount of chakra used to activate it and keep it running was minuscule enough that only genjutsu specialists, high-level sensors like the Uzumaki or shinobi with doujutsu kekkei genkai, like the Uchiha or Hyuuga, would be able to catch it.

It made Mihana's life much easier and she was hopeful it would also make Sakura's in the future.

She would also occasionally have ANBU teams drop by on their way too, but they were few and in between. Some would crash for a night if needed and they had the time, but most only stopped long enough to be healed then moved on.

A seal in the bunker when activated was connected to a sister-seal on Mihana, which would alert her to their presence and need for healing. And though she hadn't needed to do any major surgeries yet, it helped that they recognized Mihana as one of their former captains that had trained with them and fought beside them in the past.

This left Mihana with lots of time on her hands that she used to set up a small information network in the village and with its surrounding towns, and time to get her body back into shape. It also helped to keep her mind off the past and Hiashi.

Watching Sakura grow and learn often left her feeling sad and regretful that Sakura would never know a father's love and that she could never give Sakura an ideal family life. Though if Mihana had learned anything growing up an orphan in Konoha, just like with her and Minato, bonds can tie people together just as strongly as blood can, and sometimes, even stronger still.

This routine kept up until September when an unexpected face dropped by. She really should have expected it with Kushina-chan's due date approaching, but she was still pleasantly surprised.

"Jiraiya-sensei!" She greeted once they were within the hideout's barrier seal.

"Mihana-chan! You are looking more beautiful than ever!" He exclaimed wiggling his eyebrows lecherously.

Mihana sighed in exasperation but was truthfully happy to see her sensei again. The last time they had seen each other was at the announcement of Minato as Hokage which was prior to Orochimaru's defection. But she was glad to see the Sannin was still the same man she knew as a child.

"And you haven't changed sensei." Jiraiya grinned again before noticing curious green eyes peering up at him from over his former student's shoulder.

"Oh! And who is this cutie? Don't tell me she's yours, Mihana? I thought we had a conversation about safe se-"

"I thought we agreed to never bring that up ever again." Mihana spoke over him, internally cringing. It was the most awkward and embarrassing conversation of her life, and she's sure it was Minato's as well. Though Jiraiya often found it humorous to bring up at inappropriate times.

There was an unspoken agreement between them to never speak about that day.

Ever.

"Well are you going to introduce us?"

Smiling proudly, Mihana undid some of the straps on the baby holder and brought Sakura around to hold on her hip.

"This is my daughter, Sakura Haruno." Lifting Sakura's small hand up, she waved it at Jiraiya and said, "Sakura-chan, say 'hi' to Jiraiya-Oyaji."

Jiraiya scowled at her comment and joked, "See, this is why Minato is my favourite.", but couldn't stop his grin when the pink haired baby smiled shyly up at him and cooed before burying her face in her mother's neck.

She was definitely going to be a heart-breaker. Just like her mother.

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Once Sakura was placed on her stomach and happily dragging herself around on her play mat, Mihana placed some tea on the small table and took a seat opposite her sensei.

"Minato's work?" Jiraiya asked, nodding towards Sakura and Mihana internally sighed.

She really should have known that Jiraiya would pick up on the seal. He may not have been a genjutsu specialist or sensor, but he was by far the best seal master in the shinobi nations who wasn't an Uzumaki.

"Yes, though I think Kushina-chan helped." She replied calmly.

Their team had always been close, and they only grew closer after their third team mate, Hikaru's, death. Even if Minato was his favourite, she knew she could trust Jiraiya with anything, including him not revealing the truth about Sakura's parentage.

But she wasn't going to say anything if he didn't ask.

Hearing her daughter's unintelligible babbling and cooing, Mihana's eyes drifted to her place on the mat, only to see her crawling determinedly towards her. She let a soft smile cross her lips and held her hands out, but Sakura turned at the last minute with a laugh and made her way towards Jiraiya.

Brushed off, Mihana pouted while watching Jiraiya pick her up and begin to make faces at her daughter who giggled cutely for a while before she grabbed a strand of Jiraiya's white mane and started chewing enthusiastically while babbling again.

"Ugh…" The sannin complained and tried to have Sakura release his hair only to have her yank on it and begin laughing again.

"This is why I don't have kids." Jiraiya bemoaned still trying to get Sakura to release her firm grip on his hair.

"So, what's wrong with her? I thought if anything, it would be her pink hair you'd want to conceal."

Mihana put down her tea cup and walked around to pluck Sakura from Jiraiya's lap, then sat down beside him. Pulling Sakura's shirt up, she removed the seal from her back, earning excited squeals and claps from her daughter who practically threw herself at Jiraiya again and began pulling at the clothes at his stomach.

"I've come across plenty of unique doujutsu," He commented thinking about Nagato's Rinnegan and Uchiha Kagami's Mangekyou Sharingan, "But these are a first even for me."

Mihana nodded. "Sakura-chan's father is a Hyuuga."

Jiraiya paused before questioning, "Like the 'stuck-up, stuffy, arrogant' that you used to complain about all the time Hyuuga?"

Sighing again, Mihana could only nod in affirmative.

"Huh. Never thought you liked the 'pretty' type 'Hana-chan." Noticing the angry tick forming on her brow, Jiraiya put his hands up in a placating manner. "Maa, maa, I was just joking."

Mihana huffed, then watched as Jiraiya lifted Sakura who had still been patting his stomach excitedly, so that they were face to face. The baby looked at him curiously, her bright green eyes wide and white pupils unnervingly fixed on him, until she raised her hand and smacked him again and they changed back to pupil-less bright green.

"Evil tyke." Jiraiya muttered handing Sakura back off to her mother and rubbing at his sore nose.

Jiraiya watched the baby curl up in her mother's arms and waited for her to doze off before he asked, "How long has she been able to activate it?"

"A few hours after she was born, she surprised both Minato and I. We were worried at first that she might have been blind, but we also weren't sure if it was something unique to Hyuuga clan children."

"Aa, I've never seen a Hyuuga baby, I just assumed they were born with their eyes…" Jiraiya motioned to his eyes with his hands before shrugging, "ya know?" Mihana just nodded in agreement.

"How often does she activate it?" Jiraiya asked. "I don't mean to worry you, but I'm surprised she doesn't run out of chakra."

"I know, it was a worry of mine too." She said before continuing.

"I usually have the seal on her during the day, and I think she hates having it on because she always whinges and pouts for a good while after we leave home. But I check her over every night just to be sure it's not hurting her."

"And her father?"

"He knows, but the clan doesn't." She paused before adding. "The situation is complicated."

Jiraiya tenses his jaw. "Who else knows?"

"Just you, her father, Minato and Kushina-chan."

Nodding along, Jiraiya suggested, "You should inform the Hyuuga clan head, so he knows in the case of a fall out. He's friends with Minato, isn't he? Don't be afraid to use those sorts of connections."

Mihana tenses up slightly before replying softly with a hint of sadness she couldn't quite cover. "He knows…"

Jiraiya looked at her then and internally winced when the dots in his head connected what she was implying. Just thinking about the political mess his student's child was going to make if she were found out had him cringing.

"Well, good luck!" Jiraiya joked, laughing nervously, to which Mihana joined in, though more hysterical than funny, before a few tears escaped the corner of her eyes.

"Hey, Hey! None of that now! I'm sure everything will work itself out. You've got the Hokage on your side, the red hot-blooded habanero and the legendary _Jiraiya_! What more could you need huh?"

Mihana wiped the tears from her face and smiled, reassured that when she needed them, her team would be there to support her.

"Anyways, I brought you a gift." Jiraiya says pulling out a novel from his inner pocket. Mihana took it gently and smiled when she saw Jiraiya's name on the spine.

"Minato already has a copy, but I wanted you to have one too. Let me know what you think the next time I see you."

Turning it over, she read the front cover curiously.

 _The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi._

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AN: So originally this was longer, but I wanted to save the next part for the next chapter so its connected better. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. I doubt I'll be able to update anything until July. Exams and stuff ya know. Also, I've pretty much done the next chapter of LWB, but I hate it. So I'm currently tossing up whether to scrap it and start again, or to just post it so I can move on... I'll hopefully decide by friday so you'll know if it gets put up or not...

Harada Hanako (as it would be said in Japanese) translates to plain (Hara) field (da) Flower (Hana) child (Ko). 'Oyaji' translates to old man.

I didn't mention it last chapter either, but the kanji for 'Mihana' translates to 'Beautiful flower'. I wanted to keep the flower theme in the family.


	3. What I'd do for Family

Through These Eyes

I do not own Naruto.

Chapter Three

 _What I'd do for Family_

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Mihana sits at her small table with a cup of green tea watching her daughter crawl around the room. A month has passed since Jiraiya dropped by and her days have been filled with a calm that disturbs her.

Only three ANBU teams have passed through in that time, and none have needed any help, so Mihana has found herself spending her days working listlessly at the flower shop for the past couple of weeks.

It makes her anxious, not having anything to do besides train, work, and her favourite part of everyday, spend time with her daughter. She couldn't lie and say she doesn't miss going on missions and spending time with Kushina and her other friends, but she also couldn't say she regretted having Sakura and sacrificing her shinobi career to be able to raise her daughter in peace.

Sakura is a fresh splash of colour in her life, that surprises her every day.

Her pink hair has taken on a slightly darker hue than her own, making it more magenta than pink, while her pupil-less eyes remained a light shade of green.

But despite taking after her mother in colouring, Mihana cannot stop the pain in her chest when realizing that in almost every other aspect of her face, her daughter takes after her father. She feels somewhat sorry for Sakura knowing that she will inherit her father's wider than average forehead. She just hopes Sakura will grow into it as she gets older and won't be teased for it too much.

Mihana knows only time will help her move on from Hiashi, but as each day passes and she still finds herself thinking of him and what they could have been, she sometimes wonders if she will ever be able to move on at all.

Was he happy with his wife? Did he have any other children? Would he ever meet Sakura and if he does, how will he react?

Every time these thoughts enter her mind, the wound in her heart is re-opened and she finds herself holding back tears that she refuses to let fall.

Looking at her daughter, her last conversation with Jiraiya resurfaces in her mind and she chews on her bottom lip in worry.

" _Mihana, you should watch Sakura carefully to make sure she isn't expending too much chakra accessing her doujutsu. If she doesn't end up with chakra exhaustion or blind from overuse, I'd be surprised."_

 _The rosette looked at her daughter in worry before replying._

" _I've been checking her over regularly every night with medical chakra and I haven't found anything wrong. I considered blocking her chakra too, but the effects of doing that at her age could cripple her chakra core and I don't want to risk that. Are there many cases of shinobi going blind from using doujutsu too often?"_

 _Mihana knew that most clans had their own medics to care for their wounded. It was rarely the case where an outsider was privy to knowledge on clan kinjutstu and doujutsu._

" _Ah… it's mainly in the Uchiha clan, though Hyuuga have been known to strain their eyes on occasion too." Jiraiya paused before looking at her again._

" _Listen, I don't want you to have to worry too much, but I'll speak to Kushina about it in Konoha and see if there's anything she can do…"_

Sitting on the table in front of her was the novel Jiraiya had given to her, autograph included, that she finished two weeks ago. She smiles thinking about the main character, Naruto. A shinobi searching for the answer to peace and unwilling to give up.

She remembers when she was a genin how Jiraiya would tell their team stories of his 'adventures', and wonders if this novel was actually based on his life.

Though most women in Konoha knew him to be a pervert, Mihana is sure it's mostly a front. When he wants to be, Jiraiya is actually a very serious person. While he believes that you should enjoy as much of your life as you can, he has also always believed that peace between shinobi is achievable. And in some ways, those ideals have passed on to his students.

Minato embodies their sensei's will more than Mihana ever could, so much so, that she thought Jiraiya had based his main character on him. It was only the dedication in the back that made her realize differently.

Thinking about Minato and Kushina made her wonder when her God son would be born. She found herself remembering fondly her childhood with Minato, growing up at the orphanage. She wonders if their children will one day grow to have such a bond.

Mihana knows that she will return to the village one day to raise her daughter. She also knows that Sakura and Minato's child would likely both be entering the academy the same year, so the possibility of them becoming friends, even without their parent's influence, is fairly high.

Picking up her tea cup to drink, she is surprised to hear the glass break and see a crack form at the lip that splits half way down one side. An ominous feeling begins to fill her, and she puts the glass down hastily, picks up a yawning Sakura and goes to check the seals in the house are all up and working before making her way to her room.

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Sleep evades her throughout the night as the worrying feeling persists in her gut.

Something is wrong.

Shinobi are taught to trust in their instincts, and she can feel her own instincts telling her this, she just doesn't know the reason behind it.

When she wakes the next morning, dark lines lay beneath her eyes from lack of sleep. Preparing Sakura for the day also takes more effort as she's more fidgety and temperamental than usual. Mihana wonders if Sakura is reacting to her own feelings or if she can feel something is different too.

It isn't until an afternoon customer stops by that understanding dawns on her.

'A demon unleashed in Konoha', they say. 'Thousands of dead in one night'.

Mihana has never wanted to pack her things, take Sakura and return home so much before. Her situation with Hiashi didn't matter anymore, her village needed her.

Minato would need her.

She was one of the few people entrusted with the knowledge that Kushina was the host of the Kyuubi. If the seal had truly broken and the Kyuubi had been released, then it was likely that her friend was either dead or dying. She knew the seal was weakest during childbirth, but she didn't understand how it could have happened. Minato and Jiraiya should have been there with her, they had planned it so nothing like this would happen.

And what about her God son? Was he safe somewhere, or had he perished in the aftermath as well?

Mihana wanted to drop everything and return home.

Tears gather in the corners of her eyes, and she turns her back on the customers in the store, pretending to be focused on some Freesias.

She knows she can't leave just yet.

If news of this has already reached this far from Konoha via civilian routes, then it's possible it's already reached Iwagakure. She wasn't naïve enough to think there weren't any spies planted in the land of Fire, and she knows this could lead to another war if the aftermath isn't handled right.

So as much as she wants to return home, to make sure her loved ones are alright, her position near the Iwa border is now more crucial than ever. She would wait for Minato to send word and would follow orders from there on out. She just prayed he sent them soon.

Just as she thought it, the seal connected to the bunker begins to warm on her skin and she doesn't waste any time telling her customers she is feeling unwell before closing the shop.

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Mihana looks at the ANBU across from her. His form is muscular but on the lean side, and he's easily six feet tall with spiky brown hair. Whether that's his natural colour, she didn't know and didn't bother to inquire. The red lines painted onto his mask depict a hawk, but what catches her attention is the thin, red scroll in his hand with the black strip running down its length.

After each reciting their code words, she takes the scroll from him, willing her hands to stop shaking, her heart thumping harshly in her chest. Slowly unrolling it, she is unable to keep the building despair from escaping her chest and begins to sob after reading the words.

 _Minato!_

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The destruction wrought on Konohagakure was unimaginable to Mihana until she reached the gates and saw it for herself.

When she imagined returning home, she had hoped it would be under happier circumstances. Taking in the destruction before her, she can feel her heart ache at the knowledge that thousands of lives have been lost.

When she catches sight of the Hokage mountain, her eyes immediately find the face of her brother and a single tear escapes from the corner of her eye before she wipes it away, the only sign of the void now present in her heart.

 _Minato…_

She spent the last few days of travel to Konoha in mourning for the loss of her brother. Since she was orphaned, Minato had been the one constant in her life. He was the person she relied on when she needed someone to speak to, or train with. Someone to share news with or cry with.

And now he was gone.

She would never again train with him, or share jokes with him, never sit together and talk about their lives on the Hokage mountain and talk about their dreams.

Quiet sniffles bring her out of her thoughts and she looks down at Sakura who is crying earnestly now. Rocking her soothingly in her sling, she watches Sakura bury her face in her chest and quiet down before approaching the gate guards.

She signs in and makes her way to the Hokage's office, not missing the chakra flicker in her peripheral, letting her know the Hokage will be made aware of her arrival.

Walking past demolished buildings and homes, and dodging debris that has yet to be cleared, she observes how the mourning of her village seems to linger in the faces and movements of all of villagers as they go about their duty. There isn't a person present whose shoulders aren't slumped or lips downturned in sadness, despair or anger.

Even the children all seem to pick up on the darkness lingering over the village and are not smiling or playing as they should be. Their innocent view of the world crushed by the onslaught of destruction wrought upon their home not even a week ago.

Reaching the Hokage's office, Mihana nods to the guards before entering. She would rather have left Sakura in a friend's care but with the state of the village, she was unwilling to risk it.

The creaking of the large door announces her arrival and she is met by the assessing gazes of the elder council and the mournful acknowledgements of Shikaku Nara and the third Hokage.

"Mihana-chan," Hiruzen greets her with a small smile that doesn't reach his tired eyes, "We've been awaiting your arrival."

"Hokage-sama." She chokes out, her eyes watering, remembering the last time she was in this office. Minato had been behind that desk, his sapphire eyes alight with life as they joked about the future of their children and reminisced about their own childhood.

She imagines him sitting there, greeting her with warm eyes, Kushina by his side with her brilliant smile and baby in her arms. But her vision disappears like a released genjutsu and she is left staring into mournful faces.

Minato would never sit there again, overlooking the village they had come to love so much.

She would never hear his laugh again or see his smile. She would never again see his face turn red as she teased and embarrassed him. And they would never again just sit and talk, dreaming up ways to make a better future for the village.

A better future for their children.

Mihana's sorrowful face, slowly transitions to emotionless as she listens to the Hokage's advisers coldly discuss what has come to pass and what will be done in the future with Minato's son until her mask breaks.

Why Minato didn't get rid of them while he could, she will never know.

She is outright glaring and ready to kill someone by the time she is granted permission to leave. As she makes her way to the isolated ward of the ANBU hospital, she thinks on Minato and Kushina's son.

An innocent child who will grow up fatherless and motherless, along with hundreds of other Konoha children. But unlike the others, will be burdened by the village's hate for something that was beyond his control.

Mihana doesn't know when she starts to cry, but by the time her thoughts clear, she is standing outside an ANBU guarded room, a familiar chakra signature thrumming weakly on the other side.

Despite not sharing blood, Mihana had claimed Minato as her brother a long time ago. They had grown up side by side, slept side by side, trained side by side, laughed, cried and fought side by side.

Minato became her family.

And there were few things that she wouldn't do for her family.

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AN: Sorry I've taken so long to update. I've been in and out of hospital for the whole year (had surgery twice) and just finished my university degree and started a new job, so I've been pretty busy.

In regards to this chapter, I'm not really happy with how this chapter turned out but wanted to get it out of the way so i could get to the more interesting parts. The next chapter will be a Sakura pov (YAY!) and will probably be written in the next couple of months.

Also, I've started a new fanfic where each chapter is based on Sakura in a different fandom universe (X-over). I have quite a few written up sitting on my computer, so i thought, ''why not post them?'. Thus 'Not another Sakura X-over' was born. If you have time, please let me know what you think.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think.


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